Beijing，February 5, 2023（AseanAll）— On February 5 local time, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement on the US claim that it shot down a Chinese unmanned airship.
'China strongly disapproves of and protests against the US attack on a civilian unmanned airship by force,' the statement said.
The statement said the Chinese side has, after verification, repeatedly informed the US side of the civilian nature of the airship and conveyed that its entry into the US due to force majeure was totally unexpected.
The statement said the Chinese side has clearly asked the US side to properly handle the matter in a calm, professional and restrained manner. “The spokesperson of the US Department of Defense also noted that the balloon does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground. Under such circumstances, the US use of force is a clear overreaction and a serious violation of international practice," said the statement.
'China will resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the company concerned, and reserves the right to make further responses if necessary,' the statement concluded.
However, the U.S. considers the balloon to be a spy balloon that deliberately crossed the U.S. and Canada to monitor sensitive military sites.
A U.S. Air Force F-22 fighter jet safely shot down a Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon, the U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said in a statement on Feb 4. U.S. President Joe Biden ordered the action on Wednesday(February 2), but it was delayed until the balloon was over water off the coast of South Carolina to ensure no Americans on the ground were harmed.
"The balloon was used by the Chinese to monitor strategic locations in the continental United States, and it was brought over U.S. territorial waters," Austin said.
This photo provided by Jason Sellers shows U.S. Air Force fighter aircraft shooting down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the Carolina coast on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023. President Joe Biden said on Saturday that he ordered U.S. officials to shoot down the suspected Chinese spy balloon earlier this week and that national security leaders decided the best time for the operation was when it got over water. (Jason Sellers via AP)
